Between The Black And The White
by Katriona
Summary: A child comes into the Halliwell family who could possibly change the destiny of all magic - good and evil. How far will the Halliwells have to go to make sure that she's safe - and how far will evil go to make sure she isn't? *please r&r*
1. Chapter One

Between the Black and the White  
  
Summary: I wrote this fic during season 3, when rumors first started floating around about a possible pregnancy for Piper. A child comes into the Halliwell family who could possibly change the destiny of all magic - good and evil. How far will the Halliwells have to go to make sure that she's safe - and how far will evil go to make sure she isn't?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognise. Everyone else is mine.  
  
A/N: Just so you know, this isn't set after any particular episode, but Cole is still Belthazar and Prue still doesn't trust him. Neither to Piper and Leo, but just like in the show, Prue's the one who really gives him a hard time. This may or may not be very relevent to the fic, but I thought I'd throw it our there just so you know what I was picturing as I was writing this.  
  
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Victor Bennet placed his watch on the edge of the bathroom sink. It was brand-new, and he didn't want to get it wet. He'd gotten it as an early birthday present from his daughters, only fifteen minutes ago. They'd said that they hadn't wanted to wait a week to give it to him on his actual birthday. He smiled as he scrubbed his hands, thinking of the looks on their faces when he told them he loved it. What he really loved was seeing them so happy. He almost couldn't believe that they were finally a family again.  
  
He dried his hands, and then reached for the watch, accidentally knocking it under the vanity. He bent down and reached under the sink until he felt something. He pulled it out, but instead of his watch, he found he was holding a long, white stick - a home pregnancy test. It was positive.  
  
Unsure of what to do, he placed it on the vanity next to the sink, and reached down again for his watch. This time, he found it. He put it back on, then carefully opened the door. Leo and Cole were standing just a few feet away. He motioned for them to come over, opening the door wider so they could come in. The other two men exchanged wary glances, but went. Victor shut the door behind them.  
  
"There's something I think you should see," Victor told them. He gestured to the sink. Leo and Cole both went over to take a look.  
  
"My God," Cole breathed, "That's a..."  
  
"And it's..." Leo added disbelievingly.  
  
"Positive," Victor finished. "So neither of you knew anything about this?"  
  
Leo and Cole both shook their heads.  
  
"I heard someone throwing up in the bathroom this morning, and Phoebe wasn't in bed," Cole offered.  
  
"I heard it too, and neither was Piper," Leo replied.  
  
"So you don't know which one of you got which of my daughters knocked up," Victor concluded. "Well, I suggest you find out fast."  
  
Leo nodded. "We should probably confront the girls."  
  
Cole shook his head. He'd had enough trouble re-earning Phoebe's trust, and he didn't want to jeopardize it. "They'll think we've been spying on them, and whichever one is pregnant, you know she'll freak out on us."  
  
"Not necessarily," Leo replied, secretly hoping that it was Phoebe, just in case Cole turned out to be right. "Whoever it was should have told one of us by now."  
  
Cole sighed. Leo made a very good point, which was why he was hoping that it was Piper. If it was Phoebe, and she hadn't told him by now, he knew that meant trouble.  
  
"Okay," Victor said. "We'd better go find out which one of you is going to be a daddy."  
  
Leo and Cole stopped in their tracks as soon as Victor uttered that last remark. It got them both thinking. Suddenly, they were each hoping for a different outcome than the one they'd wanted a moment ago. 


	2. Chapter Two

Victor, Leo, and Cole called Piper and Phoebe into the parlor. The men stood in front of the couch, and the girls were standing across from them behind the coffee table. Neither group felt much like sitting.  
  
"Guys, what the hell is going on?" Piper asked, crossing her arms in front of her.  
  
Leo held up the pregnancy test. "Do either of you want to tell us who this belongs to?"  
  
Piper and Phoebe exchanged shocked glances, each thinking it belonged to the other sister.  
  
"Piper, you didn't tell me..." Phoebe trailed off, a bit hurt at the thought of her sister keeping something like this from her.  
  
Piper looked baffled. "I don't know anything about it. You mean it isn't yours?"  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "No, it's definately not mine."  
  
"It has to belong to somebody," Cole pressed. "These kinds of things don't just pop up out of nowhere."  
  
"Piper, are you sure it isn't yours?" Leo asked.  
  
Piper balked. "Leo, I think I'd remember something like that."  
  
"Phoebe?" Cole asked.  
  
The same questioned garnered the same reaction from the younger Halliwell. "Cole, trust me, taking one of those isn't something you forget. Especially when it comes up positive."  
  
"So then whose is it?" Victor asked.  
  
Piper and Phoebe just shrugged, mystified.  
  
"It's mine."  
  
None of the five had noticed Prue, who'd been standing at the doorway and listening to the whole exchange. Now, she stepped forward, and repeated, "It's mine."  
  
Her family let out a collective, though inaudible, gasp. None of them had even thought to ask her. The last guy she'd really been close to was Jack, and even he was more of a fling than anything constant. Between work and magic, she hadn't had a real boyfriend since Andy.  
  
Piper and Phoebe stepped forward, putting their arms around her and leading her over to the loveseat, where they sat down, still hugging her. The guys sat down on the adjacent couch.  
  
"How long have you known?" Victor asked gently.  
  
"A little over three weeks," she replied. "I think I'm about five and a half weeks along."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us, honey?" Piper asked.  
  
Prue shrugged. "I don't know. I was just scared, and I guess I was really in shock. I thought that maybe if I dealt with it myself for a while, it would make telling you guys less scary. Or something. Anyway, it was stupid."  
  
"You could have come to us, Prue," Phoebe told her.  
  
Her sister nodded. "I know, Pheebs. I just... needed to sort things out first. I needed to let it sink in, and to figure out how I felt, and how I'm going to do this."  
  
"And how do you feel?" asked Piper.  
  
Prue gave her sister a nervous half-smile as she answered, "Absolutely terrified. Scared out of my mind. But at the same time, really happy."  
  
Piper and Phoebe each leaned in and gave their sister a kiss on the cheek.  
  
Leo, who was sitting on the end of the couch closest to the loveseat, reached over and put a hand on her knee. "You know we'll help you. All of us. We'll do everything we can, okay?"  
  
Prue nodded, smiling at him the way she'd smiled at Piper. "Thanks, Leo, Daddy." She barely looked at Cole. Nobody noticed, nobody except him.  
  
Phoebe coughed uncomfortably. "So, Prue, you, um, you haven't really had a steady boyfriend in a while, I mean, at least not anyone you were really serious with..."  
  
"And you're wondering who the father is," Prue finished.  
  
Phoebe nodded. "Kinda.. yeah."  
  
Prue looked down, suddenly very interested in playing with her hands. "His name is Aarden," she said quietly. "I met him a little over a month ago, at P3. He was only in town for one weekend. I only slept with him once, but... God, how the hell could I have been so stupid? I'd known the guy for barely an hour. What the hell was I thinking?"  
  
"You weren't thinking anything," Phoebe said. "You met a guy who seemed cool, and all sense of reason went out the window. Nobody knows that feeling better than me, right?"  
  
That last question evoked a sharp look up from Cole. Phoebe sent him a look that clearly stated that this wasn't the time to talk about that.  
  
"Honey, it doesn't make you a bad person," Piper insisted. "I mean, look at Phoebe."  
  
This got a laugh out of Prue, and a scowl from Phoebe.  
  
"Okay, maybe you're right," Prue conceded. "Phoebe is one of the best people I know, and... well... let's just say she doesn't always have the best taste in men." This time, she did glance over in Cole's direction. Again, he chose to ignore it.  
  
"Of course they're right," Victor cut in. "You made a mistake, and now you're getting something amazing out of it. But honey, don't beat yourself up about it. That's the last thing you need right now."  
  
Prue nodded slowly. "I know, I know. I just never thought I'd be doing this by myself, you know? I don't know if I can."  
  
"Okay, first of all, you could do this by yourself if you had to," said Cole, speaking mainly to score points with Phoebe, and to make Prue hate him less, though he doubted that the latter was possible at this point. Regardless of that, he continued, "We all know you're strong enough. I mean, you practically raised Piper and Phoebe yourself, and that was when you were just a kid. You could do this."  
  
"And second of all," Phoebe continued, shooting him an appreciative smile, "You don't have to. How many times do we have to tell you that we'll be here, every step of the way? We love you, and we're going to help you."  
  
"And I love you guys, too," Prue replied. "I know you're all here for me, and I love you for it. I just always thought that when I had kids, their father would be someone I loved, or at least someone I'd known for more than one night." She stifled a yawn.  
  
"Tired, honey?" Piper asked, pushing a loose strand of hair off Prue's face.  
  
Prue nodded. "A little. I've just been exhausted the past few weeks, although I'm sure at least some of it was stress from hiding this from all of you."  
  
"Well, you don't have to hide anything anymore," Victor told her. "Or ever again."  
  
"I know, Daddy," Prue responded. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But really, you don't have to worry about me. I'm happy about this, and I hope you all are too."  
  
"Of course we are," Piper replied, smiling.  
  
"Congratulations," Leo said, getting up to give her a brotherly kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Thanks," she replied, again trying not to yawn.  
  
"Okay, come on," Phoebe said, pulling Prue to her feet. "My first official act as Aunt Phoebe is to send you to bed. Right now. Go."  
  
"I am so not going to let you guys order me around for the next eight months," Prue warned.  
  
"Like that's going to stop us from trying?" Piper asked playfully.  
  
"Prudence, listen to your sisters," Victor advised. "You don't have to go to sleep, but at least rest for a while, and clear your mind."  
  
Prue was about to protest, but when she opened her mouth, she yawned a third time. Finally, she gave in and allowed her father to tuck her into bed. Piper and Leo followed them upstairs to make sure she was allright.  
  
Phoebe and Cole were left in the parlor. Phoebe, excited at the prospect of becoming an aunt, didn't notice Cole's troubled expression.  
  
"Isn't this so great?" she asked him. She couldn't stop grinning.  
  
"Yeah, it's wonderful," Cole replied half-heartedly. He loved seeing Phoebe so thrilled, and he wanted to be happy for her sister, he really did, but something didn't feel right. Ever since Prue had mentioned Aarden, it had been bugging him. Something about the name just seemed so damn familiar...  
  
"I have to go," he told her suddenly.  
  
She looked up, surprised. "Where?"  
  
He glanced down at the floor in answer. "There's just something I need to take care of."  
  
She nodded slowly. "I suppose I can't stop you."  
  
He put his hands on her arms, gently but firmly. "I love you. I just have to check something, and then I'll be right back."  
  
With that, he let go of her and shimmered out. 


	3. Chapter Three

Prue awoke with a gasp and bolted upright. After Victor, Piper, and Leo had taken her upstairs, she'd allowed them to tuck her in. She'd fallen asleep soon after they left, and she'd had the strangest dream. Now that she was awake, the dream had faded quickly. All she was left with was a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that said something bad was about to happen.  
  
Doing her best to shake the nightmare, Prue got up and walked across the room, into her bathroom. In effort to calm herself, she went over to the sink and splashed cold water on her face. That always made her feel a little better, and this time was no different, but some remnants of the dream still clung to her. Shaking her head, telling herself it was stupid to get so bent out of shape over a dream, she turned around took a step back toward her bed.  
  
That's when she felt it. A searing pain ripped through her body, causing her to double over. She steadied herself in the doorway between her bedroom and bathroom, crying out. She sensed a strong, evil presence, and she knew at once that it wasn't her that this evil being was after, but the child she was carrying.  
  
"No," she said, her voice barely audible. Tears were streaming down her face as she instinctively put her arms tightly across her stomach. "No, you can't have her."  
  
She could feel it coming closer. Still blinded by the pain, she stumbled forward until she was standing in the middle of the bedroom. She cried out again, this time for Leo.  
  
Her Whitelighter/brother-in-law orbed in next to her. She collapsed into his arms, her body finally giving out under the pain. At the same time, Piper and Phoebe came running in.  
  
"Prue, what happened?" Leo asked, picking her up gently.  
  
She leaned against him, sobbing. "Something was here. It tried to take my baby. I could feel it trying to... tear her from me."  
  
Piper and Phoebe rushed to their sister's side, as Leo placed her carefully on the bed. As he put her down, she reached up and grabbed his arm. "Don't leave me alone," she begged. "Please, it went away when you orbed in. I'm afraid it'll come back, and hurt her again."  
  
He sat down on the edge of her bed, stroking her hair like an overprotective big brother. "Shh. Nothing's going to hurt you, or the baby. I promise."  
  
She nodded, and closed her eyes, trying to believe him.  
  
"Prue, honey did you see anything?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Prue shook her head, opening her eyes. "No, it was more like a... a presence. It felt like I was being torn apart. And the baby... I felt her."  
  
"You felt her move?" Piper questioned.  
  
"No, it's too early for that," Prue replied. "I just... I felt that she was there, and this... thing... was trying to get to her, trying to pull her from me." She looked up at Leo. "What kind of evil could do something like this?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know. But I am going to find out. Will you be okay with me going Up There for a little while to check with the Elders?  
  
She nodded. "Just find out whatever you can, and then come back soon, okay?"  
  
Promising he'd make his excursion a quick one, Leo kissed Piper good-bye and orbed out. Piper took her husband's place on Prue's bed.  
  
"How do you feel now, sweetie?" Piper asked.  
  
"I'm okay," she answered. It was only a half-truth. The physical pain had started to fade, but the fear had only gotten worse. Still, she put up a strong front for her sisters. "I'm okay," she repeated. "I just need some rest."  
  
Phoebe nodded. "Allright, but we're not leaving you alone. Close your eyes, we'll be right here."  
  
Prue slept fitfully while Piper and Phoebe watched her from the loveseat across from her bed, where they'd curled up together. Twenty minutes later, she awakened.  
  
Piper and Phoebe came over and lay down on either side of her. Prue gave them each a smile and a kiss before slowly, instinctively reaching down toward her stomach. As soon as she touched it, she felt a sharp pain. She winced and quickly pulled her hand back.  
  
Piper noticed, and immediately propped herself up on one elbow, looking down at her sister with concern. "Prue, what's wrong? Is... Is it back?"  
  
Prue shook her head. "No, it's nothing like that. It just hurts, but only when I touch it." Carefully, she peeled back the covers and pulled up her shirt. Her skin was covered in big, purple and yellow bruises, as well as quite a few scratches. The longer she looked at it, the more these bruises scratches seemed to worsen of their own volition. Piper and Phoebe immediately summoned Leo.  
  
"What is it, what's wrong?" he asked, sitting on the edge of Prue's bed. His eyes widened at the marks that were covering her body. He put his hands over her stomach, and tried to heal her.  
  
"Why is it taking so long?" Prue asked anxiously.  
  
He looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. "Because you aren't the one who's hurt," he said.  
  
Prue was trying not to burst into tears, but a few escaped and trickled down her face. "The baby," she whispered. "Can you heal her?"  
  
"I'm not sure," he answered, putting all his energy into trying.  
  
"The baby..." Prue sobbed. "What's happening to me?"  
  
"Shh," he soothed. "Just relax, it'll be over in a minute." Sure enough, it was. It had taken all his effort, but he'd been successful. "Close your eyes," he commanded. "Phoebe, stay with her."  
  
He and Piper went outside into the hallway to talk.  
  
"Leo, what is happening to her?" Piper asked, afraid for her sister.  
  
He shook his head. "The Elders aren't sure. They think.. and from what I felt, while I was healing her... This baby could be more powerful than anything we've ever seen."  
  
"That would make sense," Piper mused. "After all, Prue's a Charmed One. Of course, that must mean the baby's a girl, because powers are only passed down to the females in our line. Prue must already know, on some level, even if she's not conciously aware of it, because I've noticed she keeps referring to the baby as 'she'. But it still doesn't explain what it is that's after her, or why."  
  
Leo shook his head, at a loss for what to tell her. "The Elders are working on it. They seemed just as surprised as we were that Prue's pregnant, but I don't know. It seemed like they knew more than they were letting on."  
  
Piper snorted. "And this surprises you? Leo, you know how the Elders are about disclosing important information. God forbid they actually be helpful for once..."  
  
He put his arms around her, pulling her to him. "Piper, I know at times they've been somewhat guarded with what they tell us, but this is different. I promise you, they're doing everything they can to help Prue and her baby. This effects them, too, you know, what with the amount of power they think that child is going to have."  
  
Piper nodded, leaning against him. "I know. I just... I'm really scared. This isn't just some power source we're talking about, Leo, it's our neice."  
  
"I know," Leo responded. "I'm scared, too. You know I love Prue. I just think we need to trust the Elders, at least until we have enough information to start sorting things out on our own."  
  
She sighed, looking in through the small crack in the door that she'd purposely left open to keep an eye on her sister. Prue looked so frail, so weak after what had happened, and although she tried to stay calm and not upset her sisters, Piper could see she was more than shaken. It scared her to see her older sister so vulnerable. "My God," she said softly, "I hope the Elders come through soon."  
  
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A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed. :) Keep it up.  
  
A/N2: In reference to someone's question about the title, I got it from the Melissa Etheridge song "Dance Without Sleeping." 


	4. Chapter Four

Meanwhile, Phoebe was inside trying to comfort Prue. She sat with her big sister while Piper and Leo were talking, and tried not to worry about what they were saying. After a few minutes, Victor came in.  
  
"Piper and Leo told me what's going on," he said, setting the tray he was carrying down in front of her. "I can't do much of anything on the magic front, so I made you soup. You probably don't remember, but when you were little I used to make this for you whenever you got sick."  
  
Prue smiled. "I remember. Thanks, Dad."  
  
Victor kissed her softly on the cheek, and then put his arm around Phoebe.  
  
"Are Leo and Piper still out in the hallway?" she asked.  
  
He shook his head. "They went up to the attic. They could probably use another witch, though."  
  
Phoebe bit her lip. She knew she should go see what Leo knew, but she didn't want to leave Prue.  
  
Prue noticed her sister's hesitation. "Go," she said firmly. "Daddy's here to stay with me. Go on upstairs, Pheebs."  
  
Phoebe nodded, and gave her sister a kiss before slipping out of the room. She started toward the attic, but was intercepted in the hallway by Cole shimmering in right in front of her.  
  
She smiled, and put her arms around him. He kissed her before pushing her away.  
  
Her smile faded. "Cole, what is it?"  
  
He sighed, and pointed behind him. Another man appeared, shimmering in the same way Cole did. "Phoebe," Cole started, "I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. Kritt, this is my wonderful girlfriend, Phoebe. Honey, this is Kritt."  
  
Phoebe stared at him suspiciously. "How do you two know each other?"  
  
"Kritt was a student of mine," Cole replied.  
  
"Belthazor was my greatest instructor," Kritt added. "Both in evil and in good. My demonic form is Alkyl. I was only a half-breed, like Belthazor, except that my father wasn't a mortal. He was a witch."  
  
"Needless to say, we're both good now," Cole interjected. "And you don't have to worry about Kritt, because as he says, he's half-witch, so in a way he's even more good than I am."  
  
Phoebe relaxed, but only a little. "So why did you bring him here, now?" she asked, glancing nervously at Prue's closed door.  
  
"You mean, because your sister is pregnant?" Kritt clarified. "Yes, I know. So does the entire Underworld. Aarden is one of Them."  
  
Phoebe looked from Kritt to Cole, confused. "Wait, one of who? And are you saying that Prue's baby is..." She couldn't bring herself to finish that last question.  
  
"No," Cole cut in quickly. "The baby isn't evil. If we're right, then she's not exactly good, but she's not evil."  
  
Phoebe breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, she's not evil. But what do you mean, 'if we're right'? Right about what?"  
  
Cole and Kritt exchanged nervous glances.  
  
"You should probably be the one to tell her," Kritt said. "After all, she just met me. You know her better, it won't sound as bad coming from you."  
  
"Thanks, buddy," Cole replied sarcastically.  
  
Kritt grinned. "What else are friends for, pal?"  
  
Cole glared at him, then softened his expression for Phoebe. "There's a prophecy from the ancient world, of a day when there is no good or evil. All magic will be united. According to the prophecy, there will be one person, one magical being, that is destined to rule over all magic, everywhere. We think - evil thinks - that your sister is carrying said magical being."  
  
Phoebe nearly burst out laughing. "Okay, first of all, from what I've seen, it's highly unlikely that evil and good are going to unite any time soon. Second of all, what makes you think this has anything to do with Prue's baby?"  
  
"A few things, actually," Kritt told her. "For one, Prue's a Charmed One, and Aarden is a member of the Alliance. The child's parents are the most powerful forces from each side. That would make her uniquely qualified to rule them both. Secondly, timing. The prophecy states that the 'holy one will be born at the turn of a new millenium' - Well, that's a rough translation, anyway. My Latin isn't so good. It may not be the exact wording, but it's pretty close. Anyway, that gives you a chance to prove us wrong. Do you know what Prue's due date is?"  
  
Phoebe was still suspicious of Kritt, but she was beginning to believe him. "I'll go check," she said, pushing past the two men.  
  
She went back into Prue's room, forcing herself to look nonchalant about it. Prue had gotten out of bed, and was sitting next to Victor on the chaisse under the window.  
  
"Hey, honey," Phoebe greeted warmly. "How are you holding up?"  
  
Prue smiled at her. "I'm okay. Did you guys find anything?"  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "No, not really. But Prue, I just thought of something. Have you seen a doctor yet?"  
  
"Yes, a couple weeks ago," Prue said. "I have another appointment next week."  
  
"Good." She paused, and then asked, "By any chance, did you find out when your due date is?"  
  
Prue nodded. "In December. Specifically, New Year's Eve. Can you believe it, she's going to be a New Year's baby?"  
  
Phoebe smiled. "That's great, honey." She went over to kiss her sister, and then her father. "I'll check in on you guys later," she promised before going back out to Cole and Kritt.  
  
"Well?" Kritt asked.  
  
"You're right," Phoebe breathed, "Oh my God, you were right."  
  
Cole held her. "Don't worry," he whispered into her ear.  
  
"Don't worry?" she repeated incredulously. "How can I not worry? What's going to happen to my neice?"  
  
"Shh," he whispered. "That's why I brought Kritt here. We'll protect her, okay?"  
  
Phoebe nodded. "What about Piper and Leo? We should tell them. And Prue. She of all people should know."  
  
Kritt shook his head. "Not Prue. We'll tell your other sister and your brother-in-law, because we'll need their help. But not Prue, not yet. We can't place any more stress on her than absolutely necessary at this point."  
  
Phoebe looked up at Cole, who nodded. Without further arguement, she led them upstairs to the attic.  
  
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A/N: So how am I doing so far? I promise, you'll hear more about Aarden and the Alliance in future chapters, so please review and I'll get to it faster. 


	5. Chapter Five

Piper and Leo had gone up to the attic to look in the Book of Shadows for something, anything, that might help them find out what they were up against. By the time Phoebe got there with Cole and Kritt, they'd been through the book twice and hadn't found anything.  
  
"Having any luck?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Piper shook her head, looking defeated. "Nothing. There's nothing in here that'll tell us anything."  
  
"Well, maybe I can be of service," Kritt offered.  
  
Piper's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"  
  
Kritt sighed. "You know, you're just like your little sister. I mean, I suppose anyone seen in Cole's company would have to be at least a little crazy, no offence Phoebe, but do you always assume your houseguests are evil?"  
  
"Yes," Piper said. "When they show up in our attic without warning and are obviously connected to Cole, yes."  
  
Cole was about to take offence, but decided to let it slide. They had much more important things to worry about. "Piper, this is Kritt. He'll be staying here for a while."  
  
"What? Why?" Piper demanded.  
  
"Because if you don't have someone here to protect you, your sister and her baby will both die, that's why," Kritt replied impatiently.  
  
This got Piper's attention. She listened quietly as Phoebe, Cole, and Kritt related the story of the prophecy and what it meant for them.  
  
"That's it," Leo said quietly when they were finished. "It has to be. It explains why Prue was attacked this afternoon. Evil doesn't want the baby born."  
  
"But why?" Piper asked him. "If what they're saying is true, then she'll be their queen, too."  
  
"Exactly," Cole replied. "The last thing evil wants is to be merged with good. They figure that the only way to keep this from happening is to kill the princess before she's coronated. Since that would most likely take place soon after she's born, and since her powers will start showing themselves maybe even before then, the easiest way for them to do this is to do it now."  
  
"No," Piper said softly. "No, that can't happen."  
  
"It won't," Kritt assured her. "That's why I'm here. I'm... an old friend of Beltha- of Cole's. I'm a former demon, like him."  
  
"Kritt's half witch," Phoebe told her sister.  
  
Leo nodded, somewhat intrigued. "I heard something, years and years ago, about a male witch falling in love with a demon. I guess it's true."  
  
"Yeah, and the Elders gave my father hell for it," Kritt replied, with an amused glance at Leo and Piper. "I heard about what you two went through in order to get married. Are you people allowed to date anyone at all?"  
  
Piper bit back a smile. "Yes, but only as long as the Elders approve, and we have to be home by ten."  
  
Kritt laughed. "I thought as much."  
  
"Speaking of the Elders," Leo said, "Shouldn't we let them know about the prophecy?"  
  
"The prophecy isn't the only thing we have to worry about," Cole responded. "There's also Aarden."  
  
"What about Aarden?" Piper asked, confused. "Prue hasn't seen him since that night. He doesn't know about this."  
  
"Actually," Kritt countered, "He does."  
  
"Aarden is a member of the Alliance," Phoebe said. She paused, and looked up at Cole. "Honey, what is the Alliance?"  
  
"It's one of the highest-ranking groups in the evil hierarchy," Cole replied. There's usually only five or six of them at a time, and they're right below the Source in terms of power. Aarden is a newer member. The goal of the Alliance is, of course, to kill the Charmed Ones, but Aarden felt he needed to prove himself by bedding one of you first."  
  
"So he got my sister pregnant just to make himself look good in front of a bunch of power-hungry jackasses?" Piper asked incredulously.  
  
Kritt nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."  
  
"Well, he didn't exactly plan on getting her pregnant," Cole interjected. "If he'd known about the prophecy, he never would have touched her. The other Alliance members are pretty pissed. They blame him for fulfilling it."  
  
"Okay, so the baby's father is evil," Piper summed up. "Does this mean she'll be half-and-half, like you, Kritt?"  
  
He shook his head. "My mother was a lower-level demon, and my father was just a regular witch. They didn't have anywhere near the power that Aarden and Prue have, and thankfully I don't have anywhere near the power or responsibility that will be forced upon your neice."  
  
"And there's no way to keep this from happening?" Phoebe inquired.  
  
Cole paused. "Well, we aren't sure. Right now, the only thing we can do is keep Prue safe."  
  
Leo looked up. "I'm being summoned."  
  
Piper kissed him. "See how much they know about the Alliance."  
  
He nodded, and orbed out.  
  
Piper turned to face Phoebe. "What do we do about Prue? Do we tell her? Or does she already know?"  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "She doesn't know, and we don't do anything. We can't tell her until we know exactly what's going on. If we just give her bits and pieces of the puzzle, she'll only be more afraid than she already is."  
  
Piper sighed. "I don't like keeping this from her. She deserves to know."  
  
"I know," Phoebe replied. "And we'll tell her. Just not until we know more."  
  
"Know more about what?"  
  
Piper, Phoebe, Cole, and Kritt all turned around to see Prue standing in the doorway, with Victor right behind her.  
  
"I told her she shouldn't get out of bed, but she said she needed to come up here," Victor said.  
  
"Know more about what?" Prue repeated.  
  
Piper and Phoebe exchanged nervous glances.  
  
"Okay," Phoebe said, "Maybe we should tell her now."  
  
"Ya think?" Piper replied.  
  
The girls sat their sister down, and explained everything as gently as possible. When they finished, they put their arms around her, waiting for her reaction.  
  
Prue shook her head disbelievingly, putting her hand instinctively over her stomach. "No. That can't be right. It can't be her. It can't be. Where's Leo? Leo! Leo!"  
  
The Whitelighter orbed in as fast as he could.  
  
"Leo, they're wrong. Tell them they're wrong," Prue begged desperately.  
  
He frowned, shaking his head. "I can't, Prue. I'm sorry."  
  
Prue shook her head, too shocked to speak. She crossed over to the rocking chair in the corner of the attic and curled up in it, staring out the window. Her family tried to comfort her, but she was too deep in thought to notice. When she finally spoke, through a tear-stained face, it was only to say, "Leave me."  
  
They waited a while, trying to get some other reaction from her. When it became apparent that she wasn't going to respond, they honored her request, and left the attic. 


	6. Chapter Six

Piper, Phoebe, Victor, Leo, Cole, and Kritt gathered around the kitchen table. None of them knew quite what to say. Piper, Phoebe, and Victor were overcome with worry for Prue, while Leo, Cole, and Kritt were preoccupied with wanting to find out more about the ancient prophecy that was coming true in the form of her child.  
  
"So what's our next move?" Kritt asked after a minute.  
  
"What do you mean, 'our'?" Piper shot back. "I'm still not sure I trust you."  
  
Kritt nodded. "Fair enough. I don't suppose I've given you much reason to. But then again, what reason have I given you to distrust me?"  
  
Piper raised an eyebrow. "For starters, you showed up with him," she said, pointing to Cole. "Also, you've admitted to being half-demon, you haven't given us any real explanation as to how or why you're here, and you just know too damn much about my sister's kid."  
  
Kritt flashed her an annoyingly adorable smile. "For starters, I may have shown up with Cole, but you're the one who lives with him. Also, my other half is a witch like you, I haven't exactly had time for a full explanation, and I don't know shit about your sister's kid, just a prophecy that may or may not affect her."  
  
Piper stared at Kritt, for the first time really sizing him up. Leo looked at Piper, trying to anticipate what would happen next. He could tell from Kritt's rebuttle that Piper had finally met her verbal sparring match. He wasn't sure yet whether this was good or bad. No one had ever been able to out-argue his wife before. Her stubborn wit was one of the things he loved most about her.  
  
"Okay," Piper said finally. "You've got time now. Explain. Why are you here?"  
  
Kritt sighed, and sat back in his chair. "I'm not sure exactly. I'll just start from the beginning. Cole and I go way back. We were in the Academy together. He was my tutor, since he was a year above me and his mother was a higher-level demon than mine. We've been best friends practically our whole lives. We drifted apart as he rose higher into the evil hierarchy. My demonic powers were strong, but the witch in me fought them, and so I didn't advance as much or as quickly as he did. Anyway, when I heard that he'd turned good, I guess my demonic side felt betrayed, weakened. Something like that. Whatever it was, it was enough for my good side to overtake my bad. My soul was able to gain control of the rest of me, and I don't plan on giving up that control. Ever."  
  
"Why didn't you ever mention this to me?" Phoebe asked Cole.  
  
"Because it was part of my past, and I wanted to concentrate on our future," he replied.  
  
She narrowed her eyes before giving him a kiss. "Good answer. Almost too good."  
  
He smiled. "That's me. Too good."  
  
Piper snorted, while at the same time Victor coughed loudly. Cole sent them both a hurt look.  
  
"Okay, Kritt, that still doesn't explain why you're here," Piper continued.  
  
"I told you it was a long story," he replied. "I'll try to make it shorter. After I turned good, I tracked Cole down. I found out that every bounty hunter in the Underworld was on his ass, so I decided to play demon just a little bit longer and hope they didn't find out I was bullshitting. Down there, you can hear a lot of things when you listen carefully enough. I heard that Cole was involved with one of the infamous Charmed Ones. Some time later, I heard Aarden bragging about how he seduced another Charmed One. The connection interested me, so I kept an ear out. Eventually, I heard about the prophecy. Bits and pieces mostly, and I never really made the connection between it and what happened between Aarden and Prue, but it was still enough to seriously worry me, so I finally located Buddy-Boy over here and filled him in. We did a bit of reconassaince, enough to either make the Source proud or majorly piss hiim off. Probably both. Anyway, a few weeks passed, we started running out of information, and Cole didn't hear anything on the home front, so we dropped it, assuming it was all a load of shit. A couple more weeks passed, and then this afternoon you all found out that Prue's pregnant. When she told you who the father was, it rang a bell for Cole, which is surprising to say the least because I only mentioned Aarden's name in passing. I'd focused more on the prophecy, so it's a damn near miracle that Cole remembered the name. Anyhoo, he came to ask me if I knew where he'd heard the name before, I refreshed his memory, and then we started putting two and two together. See, until then, we'd alternatively focus on finding out who's pants Aarden had gotten into or what the prophecy really meant, but we'd never really considered that one had anything to do with the other until we found out that Aarden had knocked Prue up. It started to make sense. Unfortunately, the rest of the Underworld figured it out around the same time we did. We came to the conclusion that Prue would need my protection. If what I've heard about this afternoon is any indication, we were right."  
  
"What makes you think you can protect my sister?" Piper asked.  
  
Kritt raised one hand. A ball of fire appeared, which he instantly extinguished. With his eyes, he turned the kitchen sink on and off. "Seen enough?" he asked lightly. "Psychokinesis isn't always the most exciting power, but my demonic powers should be more than enough to guard Prue."  
  
"No," Victor interrupted. "You are not using any demonic powers near my daughter and grandchild."  
  
"Well how the hell else am I supposed to protect her?" Kritt asked. "Even if I don't use my powers around her, other demons will, and believe me, you'd rather have me than them."  
  
"He's right," Cole said. "Like it or not, you need him. Prue needs him."  
  
Phoebe sighed, looking up at her boyfriend. "I may not trust him, but you know I trust you. Do you really think this is necessary? Do you believe that he's good?"  
  
Cole put his arms loosely around Phoebe's neck, looking into her eyes. "I trust Kritt with my life. I'd trust him with yours, and you know how much that means for me."  
  
"But you're asking us to trust him with Prue's life, and the baby's," Phoebe pressed. "If I'm going to do that, I need you to promise me that Kritt is good. I don't want Prue getting hurt again."  
  
Cole looked over at Kritt, then nodded. "I promise you, he's good. Phoebe, he's like a brother to me. If he were evil, I'd know, okay?"  
  
Phoebe nodded. Cole's faith in him was enough to quell her suspicions, but not Piper's. The elder sibling pointed at Kritt and said menacingly, "If I find out you ever even come close to hurting my sister or her baby, I swear I will put you through every hell imaginable, and then if you're lucky I'll vanquish you."  
  
Kritt shrugged. "Then I guess I've got nothing to worry about. Don't worry, Piper, you'll learn to love me."  
  
Piper let out a frustrated sigh. Phoebe and Cole, who'd seen Piper angry before and didn't particularly want a repeat performance, started to lead Kritt out of the room.  
  
"If you're going to stay here full-time, we should probably get you settled," Phoebe said. "Let's go upstairs. You can have the room across from Prue's, it'll be safer that way."  
  
Piper watched them go, then clenched her fists and turned back to the sink. Washing dishes, and just about anything else around the kitchen, was something she usually did when she was seriously pissed off. Leo and Victor both recognized this, and tried to calm her down.  
  
"Maybe he's telling the truth," Victor said. "And if it'll help Prue, then that's a good thing."  
  
Piper shook her head. "I don't trust him, Dad." She turned off the water, and looked at her husband. "Leo, I want you to go to the Elders. Find out everything you can about Kritt, and tell me what they say. If he's going to pose any kind of a threat to Prue, I want him gone."  
  
Leo nodded. He was curious about what the Elders would say himself, so he kissed her good-bye and immediately orbed out. Piper paused briefly to order her father to go check on Prue, and then turned back to the sink and resumed washing the dishes. 


	7. Chapter Seven

When Victor went back to the attic, Prue was still in the same place she'd been when they'd left her. This time, however, she looked up when he called her name.  
  
"How are you feeling, honey?" he asked, pulling up a chair next to her.  
  
She sighed. "Confused. Afraid. Other than that... I just don't know."  
  
"It's a lot to take in," he agreed.  
  
Prue shook her head. "I don't think I've even begun to take it in yet. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought my biggest problems would be juggling single-parenthood with demon fighting. I never thought the two would mix, especially not this way."  
  
Victor pulled his chair closer, and put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "I know you didn't expect this. I know this prophecy thing is making you crazy. Honey, when your mother told me that you and your sisters would be the Charmed Ones, I didn't know what to do. But maybe it's your destiny to have this omni-magical child, just like it was my destiny to be the father of the Charmed Ones."  
  
Prue shifted, so that she was facing him instead of the window. "Yeah, well I'm starting to think this whole concept of 'destiny' really, really sucks."  
  
He smiled. "Prue, I couldn't agree with you more."  
  
Suddenly, she sat up straight and looked around. "I don't hear anything. Where is everyone? Is that guy, Cole's friend, whoever the hell he is, still here?"  
  
"Yes," her father replied, "Kritt's still here, but don't worry. I don't think he'll hurt you, after the way Piper threatened him. From his expression afterword, I'd say she's got him scared shitless."  
  
Prue bit back a smile. "Yeah, well, that's our Piper. But where is she? And Leo? I don't hear either of them. It's never this quiet, not even up here."  
  
"Piper sent Leo to go check with the Elders about Kritt," he answered. "Now she's downstairs washing dishes."  
  
"Washing dishes?" she repeated. Victor nodded. Prue got up quickly. "I know Piper. Housework is her coping method, which means she's nervous, which means somethings going on that's even worse than what I already know. And from the look on your face, I'd say you know what it is. Dad, tell me."  
  
Victor sighed. "It's Kritt. He's moving in with you. Phoebe and Cole are setting him up in the room across yours, to protect you."  
  
Prue stared at him blankly. "Protect me? A demon's going to protect me?"  
  
"Technically, he's just as much witch as he is demon," Victor pointed out. In truth, he didn't trust Kritt either, but he thought it was more important to keep her calm. She glared at him, clearly not buying it, and stalked past him out of the attic. He had no choice but to shut up and follow her downstairs, to the guestroom directly across the hall from her bedroom.  
  
"Prue," Kritt greeted cordially. "Glad to see you're feeling better."  
  
She didn't stop for pleasantries. "What the hell is going on here?"  
  
Phoebe stepped forward, trying like Victor to calm her older sister. "Honey, it's okay. Kritt's good now. Like Cole."  
  
"How do we know Cole is good?" Prue asked through clenched teeth.  
  
"What does a guy have to do to get some trust around here?" Cole shot back. "I've helped you guys more times than I can count, and, by the way, I've stabbed evil in the back every damn time I did. I've gotten information for you, gone undercover for you, risked my ass for you, and nearly gotten killed for you. How much more is it going to take?"  
  
"How do we know that evil is the side you're backstabbing?" Prue questioned. "You could have been working with them this whole time, plotting to kill us. It wouldn't be the first time."  
  
Cole rolled his eyes, looking at Kritt. "Be careful around here, man. You do something once, you're branded for life."  
  
"Tell me about it, dude," Kritt replied. "I haven't done anything yet, and I've already been interrogated at least once by each of them. Are these girls always this..."  
  
"Bitchy?" Cole provided.  
  
"I was going to say 'paranoid', but I suppose 'bitchy' works, too," Kritt responded.  
  
Cole nodded. "Piper and Prue? Oh yeah. I mean, I guess Prue has an excuse, raging pregnancy hormones and all, but Piper... damn. The girl's got bite."  
  
"So I've seen," Kritt said. "And what about Phoebe?"  
  
Cole put his arm around her waist protectively. "Don't go there, man. She could kick your ass. Not that would be a challenge for anyone, mind you, but especially not for Phoebe."  
  
"I'll bet," Kritt replied. "Although, I've heard that Prue is excellent in the ass-kicking field, too."  
  
"Yeah, but only when she's pissed," Cole told him.  
  
"Hi, still here," Prue said, stepping in between the guys.  
  
"Hi," Kritt said jovially.  
  
"Hello," Cole joined in.  
  
Prue let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, one, you're both lucky that I just don't have the energy to kick your asses right now. Two, if evil is after my baby, then the last thing I need is a damn demon as my bodyguard."  
  
"Right," Kritt agreed, "That is the last thing you need. The first thing you need, however, is a former demon. Once we figure out exactly who attacked you this afternoon, I'll be able to predict their next move. I know of practically every demon in the Underworld, and how to defeat most of them. There are plenty of higher-level demons that aren't in that book of yours."  
  
"Like you?" Prue asked.  
  
He shook his head. "Oh, I'm in there. Alkyl. Lower-level demon. There's really not much about me, except that and a picture which, I might add, really isn't flattering."  
  
"Can't imagine why not," she mused tauntingly.  
  
"Hilarious," he replied dryly. She smirked.  
  
"Well, looks like you two are going to get along just fine," Phoebe said suddenly.  
  
Prue glared at her little sister. "Like hell." She turned, and stormed downstairs. "Piper!" she called, heading toward the kitchen.  
  
Piper was drying off the last dish. "Prue, what's wrong, sweetie?"  
  
"Are you aware that we're about to have two demons in the house?"  
  
Piper sighed, and put the dish down. She sat her sister down at the table before speaking. "Honey, I know you don't trust him. I don't either. But he's been right about everything so far. I think there's a chance - a small chance - that he's telling the truth, so I sent Leo to go check with the Elders. I think we should both suspend judgment until we hear what he has to say, alright?"  
  
Prue frowned. "You know I don't like this. I don't even like Cole being in the house, but at least we know him."  
  
"I know," Piper said, reaching across the table to take her sister's hand. "Just don't worry about it so much, okay? It's bad for the baby."  
  
Prue nodded, giving her sister a brief smile. "Okay. I'll stop worrying. But only until Leo gets back."  
  
"Good girl," Piper approved. "You relax, and now that I'm done with the dishes, I'm making cookies." 


	8. Chapter Eight

Prue and Piper were in the kitchen eating chocolate-chip cookies when Leo orbed in. He pulled up a chair in between them, and took a cookie while they stared at him expectantly.  
  
"Oh, you had a question?" he teased them.  
  
"Yes, Leo, we had a question," Prue replied. "What did the Elders say about Kritt?"  
  
"The same thing Kritt said, pretty much," Leo told her. "We can trust him. The Elders think it's a good idea to let him move in and protect you."  
  
"See, Prue?" Piper said. "We had nothing to worry about."  
  
Prue sighed, resigning herself to what her brother-in-law had said. "I still don't like this, Leo."  
  
He put a hand on her shoulder, and took another cookie as he stood up. "Just relax, Prue. Hey, if it'll make you feel better, I'll keep an eye on him, okay?"  
  
Prue nodded. "Thanks, Leo."  
  
He smiled at her, then gave Piper a kiss before going upstairs to tell Phoebe and the guys what the Elders had said.  
  
"Okay, you can stay," he said grudgingly to Kritt. "But the Elders don't completely trust you, and neither do I. One wrong move, and I'm taking you Up There. The Elders will deal with you then." He paused before adding, "And if you hurt Prue, then screw the Elders. I'll deal with you myself."  
  
Kritt held back on his sarcastic comments, sensing that Leo was completely serious, and nodded. "Fair enough. But I'm telling you now, I'm not going to hurt Prue, or any other member of this family. Now look, what we need to do is find out exactly what happened this afternoon. Who attacked Prue, and how? Did your Elders have any thoughts on that?"  
  
"They said they'd look into it," Leo replied.  
  
"Fine," Kritt said. "They can 'look into it'. In the meantime, Cole and I are going to get some actual answers."  
  
"Wait," Phoebe said, putting her arms around Cole. "He doesn't mean that you're going Down There, does he?"  
  
Cole nodded. "We have to, baby. It's the only way to find out who went after your neice."  
  
This subdued Phoebe, but only slightly.  
  
"I'm going, too," Leo announced. "I don't want to leave you two alone Down There."  
  
"You can't all go," Phoebe argued. "One of you has to stay here, for Prue, in case something happens again."  
  
The three men looked at each other for a long time, silently debating.  
  
"Cole stays," Leo finally said. "I don't want to leave Kritt alone with the girls, and I sure as hell don't want to let the both of you run around by yourselves Down There, telling God-knows-what to God-knows-who."  
  
"She doesn't trust me, either," Cole pointed out, speaking of Prue.  
  
Leo sighed. "I know. But right now, she's more afraid of Kritt, and I promised her I'd watch him, so that leaves you. Just don't upset her, Cole. She's had more than enough stress for one day."  
  
With that warning, he and Kritt orbed and blinked, respectively, down to the Underworld.  
  
Cole looked at Phoebe. "So what do we do while they're gone? Just wait around?"  
  
Phoebe shook her head. "You are so not getting off that easy. I want you to go make peace with my sister. Right now. I want her to trust you, and it's not just because I'm in love with you this time. It's for her own good, now. She's not going to let you guard her if she doesn't trust you, and she needs all the protection we can give her."  
  
Cole sighed, and nodded. Phoebe led him downstairs to the kitchen, where Prue and Piper were still at the table.  
  
"Hey, Piper, can I talk to you about something - in private?" Phoebe asked. With her eyes, she gestured to Prue and then to Cole.  
  
"Sure," Piper said slowly, not quite certain that she wanted to know what her little sister was up to. Phoebe brought her out into the dining room, where they could watch Prue and Cole without being seen.  
  
"Where's Leo?" Prue asked, watching Cole cautiously.  
  
"He orbed down to the Underworld with Kritt to do a bit of fact-finding," Cole answered. "He told me to look after you."  
  
She stared at him coldly.  
  
"Prue, I know you don't trust me," he said, taking a seat across from her. "But I really am good now. How can I prove it to you?"  
  
Prue sighed, her expression softening just a little. "I don't know. I don't think you can. I've accepted that part of you is human and trying to be good, and I've even accepted that you're in love with my sister. But the evil is still there, still inside of you, and I'm never quite sure whether or not it'll come out. Maybe I can learn to trust you, in time, but for now... Just don't hurt her, Cole."  
  
Cole balked. "I'd never hurt Phoebe, not even as Belthazor. I hardly use my demonic powers at all, let alone against any of you-"  
  
"That's not the type of hurt I was talking about," Prue interrupted. "Phoebe loves you, more than you can possibly know. Demon or no, just don't hurt her."  
  
Cole nodded slightly, getting up to leave.. "I won't."  
  
Prue looked away. As much as she hated to admit it to herself, she really did believe him. 


	9. Chapter Nine

Leo and Kritt had been poking around the Underworld for over an hour and not come up with anything. They'd come close to getting caught several times, dodged a stray fireball or two, and were no better informed than they had been when they left the manor. Finally, Leo turned to Kritt.  
  
"What, exactly, are we supposed to be looking for?" he asked.  
  
Kritt put his finger to his lips, silencing the Whitelighter, then led him to a dark corner where it would be safe to talk. "Anything," he responded simply.  
  
Leo shot him an exhasperated look.  
  
"Okay, so I'm not exactly sure," Kritt sighed. "But we'll know it when we... Holy shit!"  
  
Leo spun around to see what Kritt was pointing at. Two demons, both wearing the blood-red cloaks of the Alliance, were coming toward them.  
  
"Don't move," Kritt warned. "As long as we stay in the dark, they won't see us. See that one on the left? That's Aarden."  
  
Leo stared at Aarden, anger coursing through him as he thought about what this demon had done to Prue. She wasn't only his charge, but also his sister-in-law and his friend. He loved her as such, and knowing the way Aarden had hurt her, it made him wish that Whitelighters weren't required to remain pacifists. If only he could get in a couple of good punches...  
  
Kritt nudged him. "Hey, pay attention."  
  
Leo elbowed him back. "I'm sorry, the demonic jackass who nearly got one of my closest friends killed today is standing ten feet away from me. I'm finding it a little difficult to concentrate."  
  
"Fine," Kritt hissed, "Then shut up and let me concentrate."  
  
As Aarden and his fellow Alliance-member got closer, Kritt and Leo were able to hear most of their conversation.  
  
"I assure you," Aarden said, "I am taking steps to... rectify the situation."  
  
"Yes," his companion replied, "I heard about the failed attempt on the child's life. It's one thing to go after all three Charmed Ones and not succeed, but you couldn't even get the baby?"  
  
"That baby is more powerful than anything the world has ever seen, including it's mother," Aarden shot back. "Give me time, Ecied. The Kurqi I've conjured almost succeeded. It will succeed, just as soon as I've had time to learn the best way past the Charmed Ones. I've bedded one of them before, I can certainly kill her just as easily."  
  
"We're not after the witch, Aarden," Ecied said harshly. "We're after her child."  
  
"Yes, of course, but if we kill her, that solves both our problems-" Aarden stopped short as Ecied put his hands up, shaking his head.  
  
"You've got a lot to learn, Aarden," was all Leo and Kritt could make out before the two members of the Alliance moved out of earshot.  
  
Leo and Kritt stepped out of their corner.  
  
"Think we've heard enough?" Kritt asked.  
  
Leo nodded. "We'd better go talk to the girls." He orbed out, and Kritt blinked after him.  
  
They reappeared in the manor seconds later, standing in the conservatory. Piper, Phoebe, and Victor were waiting for them there.  
  
"What did you find out?" Piper asked.  
  
Kritt repeated the conversation they'd overheared. "We know they don't want to kill Prue," he finished, "But what we need to know is why."  
  
"But that doesn't make sense," Phoebe said, "Prue's a Charmed One. Since when does evil not want to kill the Charmed Ones?"  
  
"She's right," Victor agreed. "I may not know much about magic, but I know enough to know that my girls are evil's prime target. What's the difference now? Why would they want to keep Prue alive, but not the baby?"  
  
"We don't know," Leo answered. "We do, however, know that a Kurqi demon has been called up for this, and that's what attacked Prue this afternoon. Do you remember seeing anything about a Kurqi in the Book of Shadows?"  
  
Piper shook her head. "Leo, I went through that book cover to cover several times today, and I don't think it's in there."  
  
Leo nodded. "I'll have to check with the Elders, then, although I suppose there's no point in doing it now." He looked over at the clock in the hall. "It's almost two in the morning. Where's Prue?"  
  
"She went upstairs an hour ago, but I doubt she's asleep," Victor answered.  
  
"Cole went into Kritt's room, in case something happened," Phoebe added.  
  
"Okay, well Leo's right," Kritt said. "There's nothing more we can do tonight, and none of us is going to be any help to Prue if we can't keep our eyes open tomorrow, so we might as well just go to sleep."  
  
Slowly, everyone else nodded their consent. They went upstairs, and filed into their own bedrooms, Piper and Phoebe stopping first to check on Prue. As her father had predicted, she was wide awake, but nodded quietly when her sisters ordered her to get some sleep. Finally, everyone got into the beds. All the lights in the house were turned off, but it was hours before anyone fell asleep. 


End file.
